One night after losing the WWE Championship in a grueling match to Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam, John Cena confirmed what many in the WWE Universe had quietly begun to expect: That the swollen, distended elbow he had sported for the past two weeks was a sign of a larger problem – in this case, a torn triceps – and that addressing said problem would come at a cost.

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“I cannot put off my surgery any longer,” Cena said on Monday, “and tonight I leave WWE.”

With the Cenation leader fresh out of that surgery and facing a four-to-six month timetable before he sees ring action again, WWE.com caught up with the 13-time World Champion to get his opinion on what the next half-year holds for him.

“I plan on using the next couple months to rehab and get healthy as I can, as quickly as I can,” said Cena. “My goal is to return to WWE healthy and strong, and since my expected time away is only six months, this shouldn’t affect WrestleMania.”

No stranger to serious injuries (including a torn pectoral muscle in 2007 and bone chips in his elbow in 2012), Cena’s hard work and fast recovery time from previous ailments give the WWE Universe reason to hope they’ll see him back sooner rather than later. Regardless, acknowledging the possibility of an extended stay on the sidelines, Cena offered veteran words of encouragement for the fans he temporarily leaves behind.

“WWE has never been and never will be dependent on one man, with the exception of Mr. McMahon,” Cena said. “In the coming weeks, WWE will be filled with exciting programming as always, and I’ll have the best seat in the house! Let’s see who captivates the WWE Universe.”